heye all
just a truth seeking before the New Year rolls in since the doomsday 12 21 2012 b.s. has been busted and the fiscal cliff is still looming and cuz folks r still going rampant and killing innocent folks left and right (even on Christmas eve – see the tragic shooting of firemen in Webster, NY ) while the NRA still justifies the producing marketing and disseminating of weapons of mass destruction
Item 1: CI Online goes Over the Line
CI Online – the blog run by two pro pro pro CI folks ran an entry attacking Toys R Us and the American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC). Never mind the fact that Toys R Us has been CI friendly via having kids with CI appear as models in their catalogs etc – the folks at Cochlear Implant Online reaffirm that Oralism is a jealous mistress and they are furious over Toys R Us giving ASDC a wee grant. Odd how they never complained about AG Bell having Cochlear Americas and Advanced Bionics as their Circle Alliance Partners accepting THOUSANDS of dollar$$$ from both companies while those companies were getting hit with fines from the FDA and the Dept of Justice for unethical dealings, fraud and faulty (spark) product. Nope not a wee word of complaint was heard from CI Online but Toys R Us giving ASDC some support for all the good work ASDC does causes CI Online to insinuate and accuse.
http://cochlearimplantonline.com/site/concerns-about-toys-r-us/
I left a comment over there back when the entry crossed my path and ive given them a long time to finally approve it but since its been month and since other comments got approved after mine im gonna wager that they are not interested in publishing the truths so we will just do that here.
They start with this misrepresentation: “the existence of the technology that allows deaf children to hear almost like a normal hearing person.” The data and the testimony from cochlear implant users (included Rush Limbaugh) state that CI do NOT allow Deaf folks to hear almost like a normal hearing person – nope they don’t so just lay off on the B.S. Rachel and Elizabeth, eh – otherwise ya look like u r selling snake oil. Truth and nothing but it is what the parents deserve and need
Falsehoods #1 from CI Online’s letter to Toys R Us:
“incredible technology that enables children with hearing loss full access to sound.”
Fact:
CI does not provide FULL access to sound – just go see those pix of cats with CI on their foreheads trying to train them to identify when a violin is played or see Rush Limbaugh and every other CI user I know talk truthfully about what it does enable and what it DOES NOT.
Falsehood #2:
Rachel and Elizabeth state that the ASDC misleads people via this statement from ASDC’s website: “Research consistently demonstrates that fluency in sign language and English offers deaf children (including those with cochlear implants) and hard-of-hearing children optimal opportunities for social and academic success, and thus both should be part of their language-rich environment.”
Fact:
There is NOTHING misleading about that statement – it states a fact that research has shown that fluency in a fully natural and accessible Signed Language and English does offer Deaf (wee bit to big bit and with or without devices) kids optimal opportunities for social and academic success.
Falsehood #3:
“This statement is not based in fact, and promotes only one of the many ways that parents of children with hearing loss can choose for their children to communicate.”
Fact:
The statement is fact based and does NOT promote only ONE of the many ways ie they recognize ASL, English and technology so YO YOU, AG Bell, and CI co ARE THE ONES PROMOTING ORAL/AURAL O-N-L-Y – ie AVT / LSL and Oral Only Optionless programs
Falsehood #4:
The Fourth paragraph which starts with the word: “Today, …” lists speaking and hearing, telephone, TV without CC, music, and mainstreaming.
Fact:
They do not mention that many Deaf people could speak and hear some before the advent of CI, that many folks with CI want and need CC and are even suing schools and colleges to provide them with CART and CC, that many can hear music but still not decipher the words, nor can they hold telephone conversations beyond family members or beyond them speaking primarily and the other person listening predominately. As for mainstreaming – the literacy rate for Deaf children is still low despite the HUGE increase in mainstreaming and implantation.
Falsehood #5:
“The vast majority of children with hearing loss do not know or use sign language, contrary to what the American Society for Deaf Children argues.”
Fact:
ASDC does not argue that the vast majority of children KNOW sign language – they argue that they should have the RIGHT to know sign language – just as Hearing babies are gobbling up sign language.
Falsehood #6:
“Thus, the American Society for Deaf Children, with its promotion of only one mode of communication for children with hearing loss (sign language) is both out of line with the latest research as well as out of sync with the vast majority of children with hearing loss today.”
Fact:
Already established but since we are dealing with folks who have hearing loss and selective listening skills we will repeat with caps (ie louder) ASDC DOES NOT PROMOTE ONLY ONE MODE OF COMMUMICATION.
In fact it is CI Online – Rachel and Elizabeth who are OUT OF LINE and out of sync with the facts and the truth and that which is right, just, and good. ‘Tis a pity, eh?
Why do the pro-CI anti-ASL fanatics always have to resort to lies, falsehoods, deceptions, extremism, and exclusivity. OY! so old, so old this jealous mistress of theirs.
Falsehood #7:
They go on to misrepresent by saying “There are many research studies that truly show success in children with hearing loss who learn the language through speaking and hearing with cochlear implants.”
Fact:
The studies they mention are comparing oral /aural only with total communication (sim-com speaking and signing incompletely at the same time NOT bilingual programs) and those studies are measuring speech and hearing NOT LANGUAGE.
Falsehood #8:
“While ASDC primarily supports children with hearing loss who communicate through sign language, the organization clearly shows animosity toward cochlear implants and listening and spoken language.”
Fact:
Im a little teapot hears my spot – can you hear that black kettle a roaring? ASDC favors providing Deaf children with LANGUAGE RIGHTS – ASL and ENGLISH. That is actually a good thing. Bilingualism and multilingualism is generally desirable and beneficial.
In no way has ASDC demonstrated animosity towards CI and listening and spoken language. They do acknowledge the benefits, usefulness, justness of ASL and in CI Online’s prejudicial eyes – that constitutes animosity.
Well well well – lets take a look at who is exhibited animosity – Rachel and Elizabeth are via their letter riddled with falsehoods and attacks to Toys R Us. Oy – doing more than shaking me head over here. Im also grinning a bit. Why you ask? Well, see the next FACT
Fact:
When ya all resort to false attacks and misrepresentation it shows how scared you are and shows how unjust you are. AG Bell couldnt tolerate ASL being shown on TV one day in a wee seconds of a commercial so they wrote a letter to Pepsi crying (just ignore the fact that one of the actor has a CI and does do all that listening and speaking stuff but *gasp* he showed ASL and Deaf culture in a witty way – call out the Oral Aural ONLY police) to which Pepsi said – WHATEVER!
And Toys R Us gives ASDC a wee grant award and Cochlear Implant Online goes on the warpath.
Really – lets talk about animosity shall we? and lets remember our history which AG Bell and others so much want us to forget and lets remember and REALIZE that the history is still being enacted EVERYDAY all over the US of A. they making Tony Perkins look tame eh? There has been a vicious campaign against ASL in America and AG Bell and co. have been the primary proponents of it – ask yourself WHY? Why would they go to such length to forbid ASL on the fingers of the wee things folks? its an important question
Back to the b.s.
Falsehood #9:
Rachel and Elizabeth go on to try to malign ASDC some more by insinuating guilt by association via Audism Free America (AFA) “an organization that fights against cochlear implants and demands that all deaf children must learn sign language by holding protests at Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing’s headquarters, the Volta Bureau in Washington DC.”
Fact:
The Blue Scare (blue as in blue ribbon, blue tape and AFA is the anti-christ wow wee ya all need to get out more) Ya Hoo – yes CI Online is engaging in a wee bit of fear mongering aint they?
AFA ADVOCATES for ANSWERS. Ever wonder why its so hard to get the FACTS re: CI safety, effectiveness, and reliability? AFA has called for an impartial and independent investigation into CI safety and it has demanded that AG Bell STOP excluding ASL from the lives of Deaf children and their families. AG Bell’s AVT / LSL programming promotes an exclusionary, extremist, and unjust doctrine of Oral / Aural Only and that is what AFA protests.
Free speech! ya hoo – AFAers have the right to assembly, press, petition, and speech and we use it well and AFA is made up of folks au naturale, folks who have CI, folks who had CI, folks who are native ASLers, native speakers, folks who are newbies, folks who are survivors of Oralism, and more. Exercising our independence we be! AmeriCANs
Falsehood #10:
” ASDC affiliate AFA also wrote a letter to Dr. John Niparko, one of the world’s leading cochlear implant surgeons, expressing hatred towards cochlear implants.”
Fact:
Fact is if you read the AFA letter to Dr. Niparko you will see an act of community accountability you can be proud of and impressed by (and no, while i am involved with AFA & am one of the signatories i did not write that letter ; ) – there is no expression of hatred towards cochlear implants. In fact if we are to assess any hate, we can see it coming full throttle from the Cochlear Implant Online authors – Rachel and Elizabeth and the anti-ASL, anti-Deaf folks. Truths hurts it seems. And pls do read the letter – it is just, right, and good http://audismfreeamerica.blogspot.com/2012/05/afas-letter-to-director-of.html
Falsehood #11:
“The organization promotes sign language and Deaf Culture by providing a wealth of resources supporting sign language and Deaf Culture while resources for listening and spoken language and cochlear implant are clearly lacking. ASDC fails to represent all children with hearing loss and their families.”
Fact:
ASDC does have info re: listening and spoken language in their website, their magazine Endeavor, and via their support of parents etc. It is NOT lacking.
AG Bell Association, Cochlear Implant Online, Option schools, Oral Education, all those “foundations” that are associated with CI surgeons and companies are not just lacking in providing resources re: ASL & English they are hostile, prejudicial, and harmful in their zeal for their ONE WAY fits all.
Re: ASDC failing to represent all children – wow – they close their biased and unjust letter with a note to readers to copy and paste their letter and add a suggestion: we encourage you to suggest an alternative nonprofit to which Toys “R” Us could make a donation, a nonprofit that supports listening and spoken language, or more fully supports children with hearing loss without bias.
And if you all do not find that ending comical beyond belief – well i got some water to sell ya. Seriously they are just wow wee OBVIOUS!
Thankfully despite Rachel and Elizabeth sending their bogus and unjust letter to Toys R Us and encouraging others to do so, Toys R Us responded to my positive note on their FB page thanking them for donating to the very worthwhile and worthy ASDC with “Hi Patti. We are very proud to support the special needs community and ASDC.”
Hey ya never know – maybe they will want to donate to AFA too ; ) – we got some special needs to combat b.s., hatred, prejudice, audism, Oralism, ableism, etc.
Item 2: McCaskill Matter
Remember the Gallaudet Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Angela McCaskill, and her signing of the anti-gay marriage petition that put up LGBTQ civil rights on a ballot. Well the petition backfired since the people of maryland voted in FAVOR of LGBTQ marriage equality as well as other states – ya hoo. Four states reaffirmed marriage equality.
If McCaskill is thinking of suing Gallaudet as seemed to be hinted at in her unwarranted and unjust press conference – she might want to reconsider cuz appeal courts in Cinn. have sided with the University of Toledo stating it was “within its right to fire its head Human Resources administrator, Crystal Dixon, for submitting an anti-gay op-ed column to a local newspaper.” see the write up about this important case at Planet DeafQueer
See Adam Bartley long, personal, and touching Dr McCaskill letter re: her action. I saw it a while back in Facebook in ASL and was very moved by it and here it is in English http://planet.deafqueer.com/first-person-an-open-letter-to-dr-angela-mccaskill/
Tony Perkins of the hate group, Family Research Council (FRC), used and abused video of Dr. McCaskill’s press conference to promote his anti-gay rights, homophobia and H8. Perkin’s anti-gay right’s propaganda video “Dr. Angela McCaskill Speaks Out on Bullying by Gallaudet University President” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r9M_5oQ5ho Its not captioned cuz Perkins is just using McCaskill and doesnt care if she can access his hate speech and manipulation just like he used Black churches to promote the anti-gay petition. U can turn on the auto captions but its pretty garbled “bullying” appears as “bowling” – which reminds me of how the film Bowling for Columbine reveals how fear mongering is used and abused to control the populous and we see how Tony Perkins of the anti-gay FRC tries to sell fear to no avail – all those four states he lists REAFFIRMED marriage equality (see how the SLPC has affiliated him with white Supremicist group) http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/family-research-council.
Happy New Year folks – keep signing and singing those songs of freedom and 2013 is gonna be a good one. its the 100th anniversary year that Veditz gave us his priceless Preservation of Sign Language speech and many other treasures.
Faith hope and love – we be jumping at the sun